Rush - Review

Directed by: Ron Howard
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Brühl, Olivia Wilde, Alexandra Maria Lara, Christian McKay
Written by: Peter Morgan

Rating: 9/10

Rush is a roaring, spinning triumph of a film. Ron Howard has taken the already high stakes story of the rivalry between James Hunt and Niki Lauda from the perilous world of 1970's F1 racing - and turned the dial up to 11. The brilliance of this film other than the crystal clear direction comes two-fold; the leads are ingeniously believable as well as mesmerising, and the cinematography is a visual treat. It's a film that capitalises on the reasons that most people got behind the sport; the danger, the passion and the bitter rivalries. There's no single one character to root for - the film is as divisive as the leads. 

Rush is the story of this world enveloping rivalry brought to the screen. Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) is the over-the-top Brit with such a joy for life and passion that he is the textbook definition of a 'hot-head'. He attends all the clubs, sleeps with different women, constantly shown drinking and showing hints of vulnerability - but doing nothing by half measures. Lauda (Daniel Brühl) is the other end of this spectrum - clinical, precise and routine. However, the same full-throttle approach to life and attitude to dealing with others pervades his personality - setting both for a crash course. Niki expects all from himself - he has to buy his own way into the world, but once his foot is in the door, he doesn't relent. He likes being in total control of every aspect of his 'drive' - he refers to himself as 'rat-faced' and thinks himself unlikeable, but that 'doesn't matter' to him. Hunt is envious of the brains of Lauda, but is supremely confident every time they lock horns that he could beat him in a race - it is this enduring trait that Lauda respects in him. 

The story starts out with their initial risings in lower divisions of the sport with Lauda racing for other teams, while Hunt is backed by the exuberant Lord Hesketh (Christian McKay). The story follows them all the way up to tragic events later in the season - as well as the final showdown. 

They are accompanied by their stunning wives, who equally complement their personalities - Olivia Wilde plays Suzy - a wildly impassioned model whose precarious attitude suits Hunt, while Alexandra Maria Lara plays Marlene Kraus, the down-to-earth but equally beautiful partner of Lauda. 

Every time they get into their cars - despite the race sequences, individually not accompanying much of the screen's 122 minutes - is exhilarating. Every race, every confrontation - every argument is showstopping. There's quite a lot of spectacle and pomp on display - which is representative of the inner state of the two men. They both share similar weaknesses and they both envy the other, in some way. It's a brilliant dramatisation of their story because Howard and Morgan try to get at what truly pushes someone to become great, to have this unending ambition to win. 

Morgan's screenplay doesn't feel as well developed as some of his other works, namely Frost/Nixon, lacking some of the verve of scripts from The Queen and The Deal. Morgan seems to enjoy depicting complex relationships though - this rivalry is depicted in such a thrilling fashion that the lack of gravitas that his previous works have carried is almost unnoticeable. Both Hunt and Lauda are polarising on screen, as they were in life - the film will split the audience. That 1976 run left a lot of questions about the 'true' winner of that season - something that the film carries across extremely well. 

Zimmer brings his usual excellence to the score - making the soundtrack just as rousing and combative as the two leads. Cinematography, by Anthony Dod Mantle, is a pure nirvana as usual - his last outings (Slumdog Millionaire, Trance, 127 Hours, The Last King of Scotland) were all similarly brilliant. Dod Mantle has a unique eye and his work will envelop the entire experience. 

Hunt left F1 soon after the 1976 season and went onto other pursuits to just enjoy his life - something which Lauda laments about later. Lauda carries on with his discplined and structured approach, winning more races but retiring not too long after Hunt as well. But we can't help but feel a sense of longing for something else - something more. Lauda says that to have an enemy, especially one like Hunt, is a blessing. Once Hunt leaves, a large part of Lauda goes with him. That championship race of the season seemed to define the lives of both men in every shape and form.

As the Hunt elegantly puts it; F1 is just a bunch of men, 'racing round and round in circles'. In the end, it's impossible to say whether Lauda or Hunt walked away the better from their match ups, but one thing is for certain;

Howard leaves that choice up to you.

What the Mr. Thought:

I'll keep it brief - go see this film. Even if you're not an F1 fan, this is a film that is well worth watching. I implore you - go see it. It's not your typical sports biopic film - and it's all the better for it. 

What the Misses Thought:

There was one thing that I didn't like about the film, so I'm going to get that out of the way first.

The pace was very much off. When it was at its highs, it was high but then it slowed down and seemed to drag slightly.

However overall, Rush, was brilliantly acted (so subtle and full of emotion) and the best part...the cinematography. Stunning colour, feel and angles, are what made this film just right. Shame about the pace, but the rest of the elements certainly make up for it.

But you didn't hear any of that from us!

Ferenc/Georgia

Riddick - Review (First one by The Misses!)

Directed by: David Twohy
Starring: Vin Diesel, Jordi Mollà, Matt Nable, Katee Sackhoff
Written by: David Twohy, Oliver Butcher, Stephen Cornwell

Rating: 4/10

Hi guys! Today you're in for a treat, because it's the Misses turn to take control of But You Didn't Hear it From us, for my first full review. Rather than ramble about how the Mr is a lot better at writing, constructing reviews and just generally better at using words than me, I'll just jump straight into the review!

Thanks for reading :)

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Vin Diesel. Oh Vin. We thought you could do no wrong, but how wrong the Mr and I were. If you know anything about us or listened to our first podcast about Fast & Furious 6 we love Vin...a lot. This film, unfortunately let him down. Where 2000's Pitch Black and it's sequel The Chronicles of Riddick were received fairly well (and we enjoyed them thoroughly) the latest instalment has not faired as well, and it is completely understandable why.

Riddick, starts with the film's name sake alone, after having been abandoned, due to deceit, on a barren planet. Being alone turns out to be a common theme throughout the beginning scenes, making for a lonely, desperate and broken Riddick fighting for his life...not that dramatically, through a backdrop of barren lands. Eventually Riddick finds a hint of salvation, in the form of an abandoned outpost, where he sets off the emergency beacon.This leads to Santana (Jordi Mollà) and his team of bounty hunters being drawn to the planet due to the price that has been placed upon Riddick's head. This team is followed by a more refined and shaped team lead by Johns (Matt Nable).

 After this point, not a lot happens in terms of interesting, fast paced or dramatic story. It feels almost as slow as Riddick's struggle seen at the beginning of the "story". And that is what killed the film for me, its slow pace, lack of full story and it never reaching its full potential set by the previous films.

Another strikingly bad point for me about this film was the place in which it was set. The backdrop to me felt so static, compared to the foreground which had texture, life (or where it was meant to, the great sense of lack of life) and was much more believable than the background. While I know it is a sci-fi film, it is not based on truth, but with the power of animation, computers and technology, I expected a lot more.

But enough of the negative. One redeeming point about the whole film was of course, Vin Diesel. While he wasn't overly outstanding, he was true to the character of Riddick that was forged in the previous films and for that I am glad.


What the Mr Thought:

I'll keep this simple and short - Vin Diesel turns in another Riddick performance that is a semblance of the title character. The rest of the film - not even worth watching. It's literally elements from the first and second films combined in a traditional concluding arc - but the pace feels dastardly slow and you'll start wondering where the exit is for the entire time

What the Misses Thought:

I loved the first two, and more importantly I love Vin Diesel. But this film let me down. It seemed to drag at the start, but that continued to the middle and surprise, surprise, right till the end. Which is such a shame because both the Mr and I were looking forward to it. And if you are too...Simply put, you'll be disappointed too.

But you didn't hear it from us!

The Misses & Mr

About Time - Review

Directed by: Richard Curtis 
Starring: Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, Bill Nighy, Margot Robbie, Tom Hollander, Vanessa Kirby
Written by: Richard Curtis

Rating: 7/10

Curtis' film reads like a play-by-play of his best moments. His film is the personification of the British gentry's politeness. Curtis - famous for inventing the bumbling English gentleman stereotype that he created for Hugh Grant and for coming up with the worst possible responses to any situation for his characters - even Gleeson appears to be the next model of that bumbling, lovely fool.

Curtis' films are known for their extraordinarily niceness - an aspect of filming that doesn't seem to fall beside the way side for this outing. To paraphrase a popular animated film involving an alien and the residents of Hawaii - 'It's so fluffy I think I'm going to die'. 

About Time follows the inept, but disarmingly charming and affable Tim (Gleeson) as he discovers from his father (Nighy) that the men in their family can travel through time, with certain limitations - such as only being able to travel back to a moment in your own life. Certain grand notions aside - Tim's main interest is in using the power to help him secure the love of a good woman. Of course - what else could you use it for? What follows are Tim's adventures as he moves to London to live with the most condescending and misanthropic playwright Harry (Hollander), his outings with friends as he has several chance encounters with an effervescent American, Mary (McAdams) - and his attempt to make sense of it, as he discovers what life is truly about - in a typically Curtisian fashion. Tim quickly goes back to relive certain days, to correct small mistakes like a slip on the stairs or not knowing that the bra unhooks from the from - the usual, for time travellers. 

The locations are stunning - the constant seaside shots, the cobbled streets - it's exactly as it would be if it was a great indie charming romance (which, you know, it is) - the cast, many of whom are old hands in this genre, are brilliantly on form. McAdams and Gleeson are so unnervingly charming that you would have to have a heart of stone to hate this pairing - similarly, Nighy and co. deliver engaging, if somewhat typical, performances.

The weaknesses, as in any Curtis film - are the script - "Oh my Arsing God", remiscient of the line "I bet James Bond doesn't have to put up with this shit" from previous films - and aspects of the story. Gleeson's "Tim" already lives a rather charmed life on the coast, is by all accounts a rising success in his field of law, albeit slowly - and has a middle class family that would put most who ascribe that moniker to shame. The characters are charming, the story is heartwarming and the piece flows along nicely - it's just a shame that the characters aren't developing well as the story goes - which may be partly down to the lack of actual climaxes put in Tim's life. What's the point of having an obstacle if he can just go back and change it? 

Groundhog Day was a brilliant piece because it gave it's central Murray acted character a task - a goal. With this film, Tim achieves his own goal after about the end of the first act - after which, it's just him and the rest of his family/the love of his life trundling through the rest of their lives - learning, with the help of his power, small life lessons along the way. The lack of a central pulling theme is the one big failure of this vehicle - but, to be honest, it makes little difference in the way of enjoyment. 

What the Mr. Thought:

You don't watch Richard Curtis' films for the critical acclaim - you watch them for the feel-good factor, to fall in love with the story and the characters. Just like love is blind - so too are the audience in such films, metaphorically speaking - any small imperfections turn into charming moments by Curtis' hand. 

Don't expect art - but expect to have a good time. We recommend this film, highly - to round out the summer and to have you feeling all bubbly for the coming autumn. 

What the Misses Thought:

What a film! What a lovely film. What a lovely, sad, amazing, funny, beautiful and inspiring film! 

I love a good rom com, but this was so much more! It was snappy, the pace was spot on and while it could have been boring to see a scene replay again (you'll understand if you watch the film) the film makers didn't let it do anything of the sort. 
I loved everything about this film, from the actors, the locations, the soundtrack, the script and the list goes on! 
In short; please see this film!


But remember - you didn't hear that from us,

The Mr. and the Misses